Implement/Attachment Wish list...

[spruce Deere]

What do I want, cant speak for the rest of TBN, but here is some examples

A good top quality aftermarket manufacture for compact tractors, American made of course, of implements often found for larger ag application such as implements like chisle plows, culti-packers, implements like allen in texas mentioned and such, but sized down for compacts.....

Dealers need to be in every other town in every state with excellent support and parts supply to boot.

Not like the used car sales dives selling brand new brands of here today gone tomorrow tractor brands with implements...

And a company should not be as so proud as to charge what some "popular colored" companies charge for there implement products... If it is really there product to start with...

The way the everything has been lately, there has been a serious growth in local produce production for local stores and farmers markets, most of wich operate on small one to ten acre operations...

Lots of old iron getting used 'recycled' again from when a 20-30hp tractor was king.... Well, what iron is left after scrap iron prices got high

Think compact tractor with a eye towards big tillage tools and apply those ideas to something in 15 too 30hp range.....with affordability

I dont mind paying for what I need, but some things are just plain robbery with different name brand implements. Most of wich just use label a different manufactures product under there name and color to sell it for thousands more.

 

[Reg]

OK, I'll shelve the biz aspect comments for now.

Here are few things that MIGHT work for you, I see them as holes in the market.

A Power rake that is in a different price class to what is currently available.
Harley, Woods & Land Pride are the price setters - somewhere around $8K according to size.
I believe there is little more to these than what is in a roto-tiller, comparable width tillers retail for as low as 20% of power rake prices.
You should be able to find some space in there, as long as you can also find some space in the patents (-:

Replacement and alternative tine sets for roto-tillers.
I would REALLY like a set of straight "blades" for mine so I could slice lawns up without turning them over or ruining the sod.
Simple flat strips of steel with two holes near one end, minimal design and tooling costs.
I suspect that many of us would like different tines for our particular soil conditions.

{Yes, I've been churnin' up the dirt this week, so tillers and power rakes are on my mind}

I had something else......
Anyway, I second the idea that the self build forum could provide you with some stimulus.
Just reading WHY some of the folks there decided on a self build might help you decide to
make a new and improved version of whatever it was that they couldn't/didn't buy.

 

[allen in texas]

implements like allen in texas mentioned more.

I wondered if anyone thought I was being serious.
I was even if I did put a smiley face.

Although a product like the plows I linked to might have a very narrow market, I would love to have one.
My old 60 model is really getting hard to get parts for.
There are numerous manufacturers overseas who make plows (ploughs?) like this for smaller tractors.
To small in fact for mine but what the hey, somebody does it and we can't get them here.

 

[ZLineFabrication]

Allen, the problem with complicated equipment like this is the time it takes to cut all the steel, assemble, paint, get parts (as most dont make small parts in house), assemble some more, and then Ship the equipment. this is the reason most of the larger "farm" implements cost what they do, its the overhead that drives the cost through the roof. you can go to any farm show in the country and say,"i could build that for less", and be right. but, you'll never be able to build it as easily as the guys that already do.

now this is just my observation so take it for what its worth. as i said earlier, theres always someone willing to do it for LESS profit. but it still may cost him the same.

i will look into this idea, just the same. i need one anyway.

 

[spruce Deere]

I was dead serious allen in texas

But what the hey, someone does it and we can get them here.....

Thats exactly right.... more manufacturing here the better. I think we could cure ALOT of THIS countries problems if we did more "in-house" work. More products, more choices less of a monopoly. GO Zlinefabrication:thumbsup:

Reg had a good points also, like the price of power rakes, would love to own one also, but the price of them if there not completely worn out, and sometimes even then, cause a great deal of laughter.... Yea, there is a LITTLE note big letters, bit more to a power rake compared to a like size tiller but at 80% more cost of a tiller.... WTF

Or just simple mods like different tiller tine shapes for different apps. So simple, You would think someone would have done this already.... Out a little time swapping tines or just torque tube on some models, but cheaper than a power rake in my figgering....

 

[CompactTractorFan]

This is probably way out of your range, but what would be really nice would be a lawn vacuum like this scaled down for a CUT:

ProLine Turf Leaf and Debris Sweeper Vac

Like that but scaled down and without the $30k price tag...

 

[Reg]

Allen, the problem with complicated equipment like this is the time it takes to cut all the steel, assemble, paint, get parts (as most dont make small parts in house), assemble some more, and then Ship the equipment. this is the reason most of the larger "farm" implements cost what they do, its the overhead that drives the cost through the roof. you can go to any farm show in the country and say,"i could build that for less", and be right. but, you'll never be able to build it as easily as the guys that already do.

now this is just my observation so take it for what its worth. as i said earlier, theres always someone willing to do it for LESS profit. but it still may cost him the same.

i will look into this idea, just the same. i need one anyway.

Basically, I don't believe that.
Although it may be part of the problem head set that has allowed (encouraged ?) manufacturing to leave the US.

Get a hold of someone who is CURRENT on manufacturing engineering, someone who knows that CAD/CAM can export files that can DIRECTLY set up and run the machinery that makes the parts.
This is PC scale design and garage shop manufacturing.
Garage shops have numerical controlled laser cutting tables, probably under $10K invested total, they specialize, there are similar welding shops.

You have to find your sources/resources, including parts manufacturing capacity.
This isn't a 2 year development cycle by any means, it WORKS for low volume.

No longer the black smith at the forge, not even Henry Ford's production line or post WWII manufacturing.

Option B;
High Quality
Low price
Acceptable profit

Pick any two.
Draw a line between them and when you are on that line remember that you are opposite the third one.

 

[ZLineFabrication]

Basically, I don't believe that.
Although it may be part of the problem head set that has allowed (encouraged ?) manufacturing to leave the US.

Get a hold of someone who is CURRENT on manufacturing engineering, someone who knows that CAD/CAM can export files that can DIRECTLY set up and run the machinery that makes the parts.
This is PC scale design and garage shop manufacturing.
Garage shops have numerical controlled laser cutting tables, probably under $10K invested total, they specialize, there are similar welding shops.

You have to find your sources/resources, including parts manufacturing capacity.
This isn't a 2 year development cycle by any means, it WORKS for low volume.

No longer the black smith at the forge, not even Henry Ford's production line or post WWII manufacturing.

Option B;
High Quality
Low price
Acceptable profit

Pick any two.
Draw a line between them and when you are on that line remember that you are opposite the third one.

im not sure how to correct the problem, im just trying a new approach.

we ARE currently working on low volume, but i can tell you that our primary products could go from 4 a week to 10 easily. At this point we will acually start making money.

I agree, it is a long hard road to developing the network needed to make these claims. i assure you our vendors understand that if they cannot provide under our conditions we will move on to the next on the list. this is the MOST important part of any type of manufaturing.

... Whats wrong with option b?

 

[ZLineFabrication]

This is probably way out of your range, but what would be really nice would be a lawn vacuum like this scaled down for a CUT:

ProLine Turf Leaf and Debris Sweeper Vac

Like that but scaled down and without the $30k price tag...

Really, 30k?:confused2:

and only 1 year warranty? Im really scratchin my head....

 

[boggen]

This is probably way out of your range, but what would be really nice would be a lawn vacuum like this scaled down for a CUT:

ProLine Turf Leaf and Debris Sweeper Vac

Like that but scaled down and without the $30k price tag...

other words something like this? (see link)
Cyclone Rake Lawn Vacuums: Product Lineup

been thinking about finding a 3pt hitch blower. and connecting the intake up a generic trailer or lawn trailer. with some plywood for sides and top. with some sort of screen mesh to keep the blower getting clogged up. though would prefer to use 55 or 30 gallon drums, or trash cans.

google search for "pull grass vacuum"